UFC champions have a short shelf life. As such, they seek to maximize what they get for each fight, and for as long as possible. If you are UFC middleweight champion Michael Bisping, you want to avenge the most famous KO in league history, not fight the #1 contender. Next fight you want a rusty GSP, not the #1 contender. However, UFC president Dana White appeared recently on UFC Unfiltered and said some #1 contenders are going to get the fight they deserve.
Yoel Romero’s been floating out there a long time waiting for a title shot,” said White, as transcribed by Jesse Holland for MMA Mania. “Bisping wanted to do that grudge match with Dan Henderson. It was going to be Dan Henderson’s last fight. I’ve always shown Henderson the respect I felt he deserved. He’s a guy who’s fought everybody out there. So we did that fight and he’s got to defend his title now against the No. 1 contender. If you look at what Romero did to Chris Weidman, he absolutely deserves the shot.
White also discussed former UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones, who is currently suspended after failing and anti-doping test due to a contaminated bootleg sexual performance enhancing drug.
Jon Jones is supposed to return around July so the timing is perfect,” said White, as transcribed by Damon Martin for FOX Sports. “I haven’t talked to him. I haven’t talked to Jon Jones since the whole incident.”
Depending on where Jon’s head is and where he thinks he is, I would assume he would come right back and try to get his title back.
If you’re going to go in there and give it, at least go in and try to get your belt back. It’s like everyone was saying Ronda should have had a tune up. There are no tune-up fights.
When you break into the top five in the world, everybody’s nasty. What you don’t want to do is lose to somebody 8, 9, 10. It knocks you right out of the top 10 and it doesn’t make sense.
Current champion Daniel Cormier fights Anthony Johnson on April 8, 2017 at UFC 210. And the winner will fight Jon Jones, presumably sometime in the summer.
If all goes well.
